Weight Control - Type 2 Diabetes

Weight control is important for type 2 diabetes. Even modest weight loss can reduce the risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. However, patients should follow a diet that supplies at least 1,000 to 1,200 Kcal/day for women and 1,200 to 1,600 Kcal/day for men.

There are many approaches to dieting and many of the claimed to have great success. People may respond differently to specific diets.

Tips

Unfortunately, although many people can lose weight initially, it is very difficult to maintain weight loss. Lifelong changes in eating habits, physical activity and attitude about food/weight are essential to weight management. People with type 2 diabetes may have a particularly difficult time. The followings are some suggestions:

Start with realistic goals. When overweight people achieve even modest weight loss, they reduce risk factors in the heart. Ideally, overweight patients should strive for 15% weight loss or better, especially people with type 2 diabetes.

A regular exercise program is essential for maintaining weight loss. If there are no health prohibitions, choose one that is enjoyable.

Hunger pangs should not be taken as cues to eat. A stomach that has been stretched by large meals will continue to signal hunger for large amounts of food until its size reduces over time with smaller meals.

Be honest about how much you eat, and track calories carefully. Studies on weight control that depend on self-reporting of food intake frequently reveal that subjects badly misjudge how much they eat. People who do not carefully note everything they eat tend to take in excessive calories when they believe they are dieting.

For patients who cannot lose weight with diet alone, effect weight-loss medications are now available. You may consult your doctor for more information.

Once a person has lost weight, maintenance is required. To maintain a healthy weight, make careful decisions about how many calories you consume in food and how many calories you expend through physical activity. Such thinking will eventually become automatic.

A procedure known as bariatric surgery has been very helpful in producing rapid weight loss and improving insulin and glucose levels in people with diabetes.